Flower Braids
by A Fool With Hot Chocolate
Summary: Jess and the Terabithians pay Leslie their final respects.


Disclaimer: The Corpus Christi Carol (The Falcon) is owned by an anonymous poet and Bridge to Terabithia is owned by Katherine Paterson.

Note: the poem has been changed slightly to be a little more understandable.

Furthermore, this doesn't really go by the book or the movie (though the characters will look like they did in the movie). Things will be different, seeing as I made this up. Do not flame just because this isn't similar to what you've read or seen, because I **_know_** that it isn't exact. Thank you!

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_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_He bare him up, he bare him down,  
He bare him into an orchard brown._

Jess knelt by the river's edge, where the water wasn't as deep and wild. A crown of Wood Sorrel and Northern Starflowers sat in his dark hair, the slightly wilting petals drooping into his bangs. In his hands was a paper lantern on little wooden boat. The Wood Anemones that he had wrapped around the small lantern irritated his hands, making them itch and burn slightly, but he ignored that because Wood Anemones were Leslie's flowers.

All around him the Terabithians wept openly for their young queen. Dragonfly warriors hummed a sad melody, their small heads bent down towards the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Jess saw a group of winged people weave flowers together into braids and pass them out to the crowd. Jess stood and cradled the lantern boat in his hands, and he turned to face the crowd behind him.

_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_In that orchard there was a hall  
That was hanged with purple and pall,_

"We are here to today to pay our respects to Queen Leslie, who died a few days ago. She was…" Jess paused when his voice cracked. He licked his lips and started again. "She was a noble warrior, a magnificent queen, and…and wonderful friend. Leslie was one of the best queens I've ever known. Well, she was the only queen I've ever known." There were a few half hearted chuckles. Jess managed a tiny smile and continued.

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't known her, because that would make this pain so much easier to bear. But I know that if I hadn't met her, Terabithia would not be the place it is today." _It wouldn't exist,_ a small voice insisted in the back of his head. Jess ignored it and prepared himself for the hardest part. He swallowed thickly.

_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_And in that hall there was a bed:  
It was hanged with gold so red._

"I…I loved Leslie more then anything in this world, or any other world. She was the only person who could really understand me, and she didn't ridicule me or look down on me. She made me a king and showed me so many things that I never would have seen if not for her. For that, I am grateful." Jess waved his hand and everyone dropped their flower braids into the river, where they floated into the rapids and were lost. Now it was Jess's turn to let the lantern go.

_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_And in that bed there lies a knight,  
His wound's bleeding by day and night._

For a moment Jess was horrified at the thought of his lantern being pushed under the water. He didn't want the candle to go out before it reached Leslie at the end of the river. As if sensing his worries, a mermaid reached out and touched his warm hand with her scaled wet one. Jess looked up, mildly surprised, but he offered the mermaid a forced smile and handed the lantern to her. With a flick of her orange tail, the mermaid guided the lantern over the rapids and into calmer water.

His heart ached at the sight of the lantern floated away. It felt as if he had let Leslie go, allowed her die again. But he knew that it wasn't true, so Jess pushed all those negative thoughts away and smiled sadly. A loud sob from behind him caused the young king to look over his shoulder to see the Janice-troll crying into a large moss handkerchief. He reached over and patted her big toe awkwardly, unsure of how exactly he could comfort her. But the Janice-troll seemed to calm down, and Jess withdrew from her.

_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_By that bed side there kneeleth a maid,  
And she weepeth both night and day._

The Terabithians Followed Jess back to the castle, silent except for the weeping. Something wet ran down Jess's cheek, and he raised his hand to wipe it away only to find that he was crying. He lowered his hand and allowed the tears to fall. He took a shaky breath, and turned to face his kingdom. The Terabithians looked in awe at their crying king. Slowly, they knelt before him. A few sprites flew to him and straightened his crown, which was no longer Wood Sorrel and Northern Starflowers but gilded silver and emeralds.

"Let it be known that Queen Leslie is not dead in our hearts! Let your cries be heard by the Dark Master himself!" Jess shouted, and the Terabithians threw back their heads and let out wailing screams. They echoed through the forest and the earth shook, the wind picked up and the trees waved violently. when they stopped, Jess heard a faint jingling noise and he smiled. The Dark Master had heard.

"Soon, I will bring you a princess." Jess told them, a determined look in his eyes. Excitement ran through the crowd and they whispered to each other. a few dragonfly warriors murmured amongst themselves, discussing something Jess could only guess. A few of the winged people asked what kind of flowers she liked, and Jess smiled.

"Purple flowers." He answered. They nodded, and Jess had dismissed his subjects he walked back to the river and fell against the bank. The lantern was long gone, the orange-tailed mermaid still guiding it to Leslie. A few remaining Terabithians were still braiding flowers together and throwing them into the river. Jess sat on the newly constructed bridge and watched the Wood Anemone braids float by under his feet. He'd bring May Belle to Terabithia the next day, and though she couldn't ever replace Leslie, Jess knew that she could be just what the mourning kingdom needed.

_Lully, Lullay, Lully, Lullay,  
The falcon hath borne my love away._

_And by that bed side there standeth a stone:  
Corpus Christi written theron.  
_

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Wood Anemone: Named after the mythic nymph; used by Victorians and Romans to treat several illnesses. All _Anemone_ contain a minor toxic compound which may act as a local skin irritant.

It just seemed like a flower that Leslie would like, despite its itchiness and burning…ness. Yeah. The ending seems kind of rushed to me, and the format kind of bugs me, but I still like how this turned out. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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